Viewing gloriag's Garden Diary: The seedlings

Monday, July 30, 2012

transplantint to pond path back

I am really sweating.

I just came in from planting 3/4 pink Luna hibiscus, several hollyhocks, and something else, I think.

I watered them well and pulled the vines away from the spot; I
will have to water them regularly. I have a bunch of orange
flags I got from the Japanese iris bed and about ten feet to
go. At least, I accomplished something, and in a short time.

Next step is to plant hollyhocks down to the sunflowers and
the to plant echinacea and foxgloves.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

I way over stocked on delphinium seeds, I have too many lupine seeds too

The lupine seeds are coming up! The hollyhocks may;
I haven't given up on them. The delphs are planted
in the walled border. Now it is almost completely full.
Larkspur is coming up too. I may scrape the new bed
and throw some self sowing annuals like cosmos,
larkspur, love in a mist, and a few others. We will see.
This is exciting.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

after a killing hot spell

Today I got up early and weeded one side bed and looked at the other. Many of the seedlings survived; this evening I planted more seedlings: delphs, lupines, Prieure shastas, and dahlias I threw away what I previously thought was poppies.

On DG I offered to trade 1 baby j.iris for 1 baby fern. I would
like about six ferns.

I am waiting for the soil from the oven so I can start new cups:
2 kinds of fancy shastas that I already have, coreopsis, ????
I know I listed several before.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

peroxide soak

Sally, its 1/2 cup of peroxide per gallon of water. You can soak seeds overnight in the solution, and it softens the seed coat and speeds germination. Also great for watering plants that are easily overwatered, like succulents.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

From the cup to the flats

I transferred hh, veronica, campanula glomerata, campanula
pyramidalis, tall balloon flower, and maybe one more to flats which are resting under a cover of netting now.

We had 2 wonderful rains. The bed by the pond with new
plants in it looks great.

I need to find seeds of mollis.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

even more under lights

Today I put in a wonderfully color mix of yarrow, replanted c.bells, and several other things I can't call to mind right now.
The big thing tomorrow will be putting seedlings into flats.

Tonight we are supposed to get rain. I surely hope we do.

Some of the LA iris are just extraordinary in their sizes and shapes.

Jean brought a huge root of bleeding heart and coral bells. I gave her some of every campanula that I had. I will give her
some LA and Jap iris when they stop blooming.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

more under lights

I am soaking two shoeboxes in chlorox water to sterilize them. After that I will plant one with bellamosum and one with 2 packets of Pacific Giants (for fall setting out)
They both come from Crossmanseeds.com. I hope they work. I don't have any others under lights ready to transplant.

Outside I transplanted multiple poppies to one cell each. We'll see how that does.
In addition I have two new packets so I may start them in cell trays too. This is
an all out push for poppies!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

progress under the lights

Now every cup of perennials has germinated: numerous hollyhock types, blue
columbine, Olympia verbascum, liatris, tall, mixed platycodon, veronica, etc. I hope I can bring them to
a planting out of doors stage. So far, so good.

However, I will have to start delphs soon. I think I could move the hollyhocks outside for the most part. I just have to have room.

Cheri and I will pick a place for Al Haase to put the mulch near the two side flower
beds. It will be convenient to all three.

Gayle is close to finishing the pump. That will be so handy watering the upper and side beds.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Seed starting continued

I have 8 more paper towel groups of seed to plant some time today. Most
are hollyhocks. I might as well plant them and put them at the back of the
pond. That would be tall verbascus, dahlias, foxgloves, delphs. and hollyhocks. Maybe they will crowd out the weeds.

While Jean Banks was cleaning, I found more seeds. LOL. One is Rose
Camelot, which I think is a real winner. The iris are just beautiful now too.
I am getting 14 more from Bluejiris in July. I gave Jean three Pruiere double baby shastas, 4 phlox from this spring, a chrysanthemum, and 3
columbine. All are this year's seedlings or cuttings.

The house is really clean.

I am trying to think of other things to plant: annuals for one.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

More seeds!!!

I bought Peaches n Dreams and Burpee White marigolds today as seeds.
I will probably use the paper towel method for fast germinating.

I need to start more foxgloves and some verbascum.

Monday, May 17, 2010

more cups

The rain seems interminable now.

Today I will start Giant Harold, 2 Astolats, 3 or 4 hollyhocks(paper towels), and others. It is too early to remember!!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Wow. so many seedlings and cuttings.

In the rain today I planted cuttings of phlox and chrysantheum. I planted lupine The Governor and Lupin Gallery Pink and Lupin Band of Nobles out too.

I have lots of other things to plant out too: Many phlox, more chrys, many Shastas from last year and new ones this year;

I have verbascusm, foxgloves, dahlias, (and sunflowers soon to be sown)
I have tons of delphs.

Then there about 40 clematis planted in towers.
Roses came back but are small. I have rambling roses to plant.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Paper Towel Sowing

I have about all I can handle right now with germinating seeds. I will need
to wait for these to be potted up or removed from the towel before I can consider any others.

The HHs are practically jumping off the coffee filters & towels. I have Red
Queeny, Fruity Mix, Black Currant Whirl, Charter's Salmon Dbl, a dwarf one I believe, and several others. I need to do more black in the towels for sure.

Victoriana Dianthus is germinated and growing in its little bowl. The colors
are brilliant.

Monday, March 29, 2010

seedlings inside

Majorette, Peaches and Dreams both have germinated. I want to grow black hollyhocks and more singles. One milk carton outside
is filled with single HH seeds.

I really hope Rosetta and Violetta verbascum germinate. A lovely pink echinacea has germinated and tons of Olympia Verbascum.
Yesterday, I planted all of Melissa's seeds and two days ago Lupin
Band of Nobles and Tutti Fruitti. After a three day soak they are already germinating.

Outside, the Brook Rd pink hardy hibiscus survived so I can put them into pots and then into the ground a little later. They will be
very pretty around the pond.

Nasturtiums!!! I have lots of kinds. I want to put them in big pots
and into planters. I even have climbing ones.

I have an order in with "the boys" for 2 Pacific Giant Astolats, some O poppies, Iceland poppies, and CA poppies. Also gloxiniflora foxgloves. Candy Mt, Camelot Rose, and Camelot mix, as well as Excelsior (I think) have germinated. Red petunias
from Crossman have also germinated.

I want to plant a flat of Cleome too, then zinnias. And finally
the SUNFLOWERS.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

This morning early

I planted a medium size bake pan this morning full of true lavender,
pink swan river daisy, and malapodium;; they are under lights now.

I may start some of the pretty nasturtiums outside today: red, strawberry & cream, cherry dwarf, and climbing. Other colors too maybe.

Also, inside, lots of hollyhocks. Sunflowers I will start in April in cell flats. I have so many wonderful varieties. Very back of the border for most of them.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

inside/outside

I have dozens and dozens of delphiniums inside well germinated.
Also several kinds of verbascum, hollyhocks to a lesser degree,
and several other things. Korean Fanfare Chrysanthemum,
and others.

Today I am putting milk cartons outside and planting perennials.
2 are of my own 2009 Japanese iris seeds, some astilbe, astrantia,
Right now I have Tutti Frutti soaking in warm water for the second
day. I just started soaking Band of Nobles, which should be prettier than Russell's. Gallery Pink has germinated as well as
The Governor (Blue) and Sundown (red?) under laundry lights.

Monday, March 8, 2010

My very first winter sowing Delphs germinated

I covered the shoe box with foil. The area where it was the darkest
germinated. I put the foil back and put them under the laundry room counter: Magic Fountains Mix and Centurion Mix. Wow~~
Now I can use a few Dowdeswells and Pacific Giants. Fingers crossed, fingers crossed!!

I have to bring most of the pint containers in to water and put
plastic bags around.

I need to start first year blooming Candy Mountain and Camelot foxgloves.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

planting by mailbox and sign

This morning I took seedling Olympic Verbascum and hollyhocks (mine) and put them by the mailbox. I dug up an area and planted 9 hollyhocks and one or two
verbascum. Then I crossed the drive and planted small seedling hollyhocks and verbascum at both ends of the sign. If they survive they will be lovely and block
much of the view of the sign (which I plan to have clematis and morning glories
on- or maybe some other vines.)

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

I planted out coral bells and Dragonfly Columbine

I will probably lose a few; but the dragonfly are close to the front and the coral bells are close to the back. They are in the shade bed under the ash trees.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

start delphinium seeds

I found a packet from Hardy Plants, and I think I will stick them into a cup. I just came from the laundry room. All three of the agastache have germinated. I am getting some delphs. My echinaceas are not sprouting.

I need to label Blue Bedder and the short hollyhocks.

Also, I need to take a lot of the seed starting upstairs from this point on.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Thursday

I spent a while this wet morning putting out seedlings: delphiniums,
tall foxgloves, rudbeckias, and lythrum. I hope most of them survive! I will keep a close eye on them. Apparently my lupin
blue gallery didn't, maybe one. Oh well, one is all I need for seeds next year.

This morning I was astonished to see that all three of my Park's agastashe offer have germinated. Jubilee (chartruse/blue 20",) Purple Pygmy16", and Rupenstins 30-36" (bi-color lavender and pink?)
Anyway they are a nice assortment of sizes. The guys at Hardy Plants will be sending me Cana which my be even taller.
Pygmy (30"?), and a red which will get even taller.

The slope bed is just about full with hollyhocks, phlox, daylilies, iris, rudbeckia, foxgloves, shastas, lythrum, rose campion, adenophora, verbascum, and lots and lots of hollyhocks (mostly Antwerp.)

I am pleased to see the fuzzy shasta daisy seeds from this year
already germinating under the lights.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

new germinations

I am having great luck with the coffee filter method on some seeds, especially hollyhocks. I have germinated Old Farmyard, Fruity, Majorette, Indian Spring, Antwerp, and a couple others.

The coffee filter didn't work well on delphiniums.

It did work well on Salvia Blue Bedder and Gailardia Razzle Dazle. However, I did not know it is a HHA. So maybe it will bloom this fall or I may get nothing. I may order it again.

Outside I have so many shoeboxes of germinated seeds, I should really, really stop!! Some didn't survive because they apparently drowned.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Copper Rose

I definitely have to start Verbascum Copper Rose. They do look beautiful on the plant files.

I have several seedlings of Olympic Verbascum and a couple
inside of Banana Custard. Next year (or even this fall,) I may start Phoenician Verbascum. They should be a sight next year!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Lupin Gallery Blue

They are germinating now; they are in a cup under the lights.
I will have to keep them inside during the drought which seems
almost certain. I hope I can get them to bloom next year!

Monday, July 13, 2009

more seeds

Right now I have May Night Salvia, Antwerp,and Old Farmyard germinating in paper towels. It shouldn't be very long at all before I can plant them into containers. Indian Spring from last week is doing very well. My Brook Rd pink and red hibiscus are doing fine too upstairs.

I have more seeds to plant but not so very many until the seeds on my own flowers ripen. Then I will have varied shastas, campanula, verbascum, and hollyhocks to save.

I am anxious to plant the pretty Shastas, especially the doubles; I have three kinds. I could plant more campanulas too. Also, I will have tons of Appleblossom HHs and singles
apricot/pink/peach as well. This is borderline exciting!!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

planting out today

I have lost most of the lupin I set out; however, I planted The Governor on the slope and noticed I still have a couple of Cherry Morello and lots of Russels.

Also on the slope I planted about 4 Olympia verbascums, digging some from the bed by the edge of the pond and taking
a few seedlings. Along with them, I planted Antwerp HHocks.
At one side of that row, I planted 3 HHs. 2 of Dreams and Peaches(?) and 1 Appleblossom.

I have several NE asters ready to be planted out, rose campion, and a few other things too.

I must fill new cups with seeds this afternoon!

8:20 pm

David is sleeping and we have a severe weather alert; however, from the weather maps I don't think it will hit us,
darn it! But it is sprinkling a little now. I really, really wish it
would rain a good bit. The soil is getting dry.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Transplanting today

I will fill the rest in a bit. Actually, the last four are still to be transplanted today.

This leaves me a whole lot of space under the lights in the laundry room. May Queen veronica, Copper Rose, Delphiniums Magic Mt. Mix 2.5 -3', Burpee's Blue Duet mix (4-5'.) I am sure there are other things to start as well.

The Crocosimia seeds are really sprouting now. I may get as many as 35 to 50 seedlings. That will make a hedge in itself (I will just have to wait 3 years.)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

hibiscus germination

I thought I had discovered easy germination, but so far only three have germinated. It may take a while, or that may be all that I will get.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Early morning planting

I dug up a little trench and planted red and white sprouted zinnias at the sign and more
Lavender, Purple, Rose, and White at the mailbox (I transplanted some of the first seedlings- spaced them out a little.)

It is supposed to rain this afternoon which is good because it will settle the seeds in.

Closer to the house I planted a very large plastic pot with Red Spider, Red Dahlia, and White zinnias. I am not sure if it can hold all that I stuck in.

More gardening this afternoon after book club and lunch with Stephania.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

HOW TO GERMINATE HIBISCUS!!!

That wonderful man whoever he is told us how to germinate hardy hibiscus.

Take a piece of aluminum foil and use it as a scrubber to move hibiscus seeds around on a very coarse piece of sandpaper. Press hard and move them around a good bit.

Then pot up. IN TWO DAYS THEY HAVE BEGUN GERMINATING!!! Right now I am germinating in pots Catherine's pink, and the Maroon from Hillsville. Now I have done the same thing with Brook Rd Red. I will soak it all night and plant them tomorrow during the day. Wow-eeee! Now I just need to find Brook Rd. pink.

I am also soaking hollyhock seeds (Chartres Double) for Lorna. I may send her soaked hardy hibiscus seeds too.

This is a real break through. I might be able to use this technique on canna seeds too.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

My back hurts a little from this morning's gardening.

Delphinium Belamossum and Pacific Giants will soon be ready to transplant to a shoe box as well. I bought 17 at Dollar General yesterday. I have already put holes in the bottoms of six and used three? this morning. I REALLY need to put out Yvonne's scarlet salvia too as well as Olympic Verbascum.

I need to sprinkle more O. poppy seeds; that hard rain drowned them I think. I should do that right away.

Oh yes! My Shimmering Transdecantia is just now germinating. I am so excited! I googled the mix and it is fuschia and all kinds of bright pinks. Won't that look great somewhere in the garden?

Friday, June 5, 2009

seedlings ready to go outside.

I have 15 or 16 Lupin Governor blue to plant into cups outside.
That will open up room on the shelf for the new cups of seeds:
Astilbe, more lupin, Double Decker Echinacea, etc. (altogether, I will probably have 5 kinds of echinacea.) Pink Parasol will bloom this year and I will save seeds. I am going to save seeds from the verbascum, especially the pink.

I really need to transplant the daylilies and make tags for each cross! Should do that tomorrow too.

It won't be long before i can plant out Burpee's cutting mixture of mid size delphiniums. My Pacific Giants are germinating under the lights as well.

One thing I am disappointed in is the rate of germination from the Castor beans.

The rain all but destroyed all the iris blooms. Everything is drooping over.

I am anxious to see the various Shastas I planted. I should have plenty of nice seeds from them by the end of summer.

I will need to put holes in the bottoms of some shoe boxes under the patio table so that they can drain and not drown the poor seedlings.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

putting out seeds and tons of rain

I just planted Zinnias by the mailbox:
White, Deep Purple, Purple, Lavender, Pink

NOTE: on 6/02 I had a nice stand of seedlings there. I hope they turn out.

All in random order. The soil is great there.
I will have to take my mattock over to the sign and plant red and white and striped zinnias there.

My Canterbury Bells, Candy Mt. Foxgloves, Lythrum, and Burpee's cutting collection of Delphiniums are all coming up. I have put Gallery, Tutti Fruitti, and the the tall lupins in little six packs outside. Inside, I have put Governer's Blue Lupin and a tall Russell's lupin in shoe boxes. I still have Gallery Blue to plant. I may wait until later in June to do that.

Tonight I would like to plant gloriosa daisies,
Rudbeckia Cherokee, Old Farmyard Hollyhocks, Foxy, Columbine Blue Star, Hollyhock Majorette, old Dianthus seeds, and Thalictrum aquilegiafolium; that makes 8 more. I have to give up worrying about tall blue Balloon Flower at least for a while. I do have a pot full, come to think of it, and I can get fresh seeds from those flowers this summer. BINGO!

NOTE, as of 06/05 my majorette, foxy, and rudbeckia cherokee have germinated. I am hoping the madow rue does germinate!

Monday, May 25, 2009

more seeds to go!

Three of my lupins are germinating: Morello Cherry, Gallery, and Tutti Fruitti. I will take Gallery seeds and put the just germinated seeds into the soft, wet earth (to be followed by more and more rain!) They should have no transplant shock at this stage. I will put the Morello on the back slope. Tutti Fruitti is coming along slower.

I am soaking 2 different combinations of morning glories in warm water for TWENTY FOUR HOURS. I always read that as OVERNIGHT. The added soaking should help germination considerably.

Also, I am soaking Russell Lupins the same.
I plan to send so early germinated ones to the Agnews. It shouldn't take long after the soaking.

Come to think of it, since Burpee's delphs are germinating nicely, I may pull out Bellamossum, and Pacific Giants and start them too : ten tonight!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

planting more seeds

The days are so mild and the nights are cool to cold most of the summer.
I am going to continue growing things from seed outside.

I ordered seeds from Crosman's which I will start this summer, including Pacific Giants and Bellamosum.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Hydrogen peroxide

GARDENING WITH
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

This will be the most phenomenal article you will ever read. It deals with something as simple as H2O2 (Peroxide) and is harmless to all good things. I have been gardening for about 40 years and was wondering why bad bugs had to have a very specific pesticide to control them. I had been inhaling peroxide for aches, pains and allergies and it seemed to control all of them. Not having any source to go to for the information on how to use peroxide in the garden, I decided on the trial and error method. I have never started a project that I new how to get to the end, and this was no exception.

The beauty supply store would have the peroxide that I needed. The 40% peroxide cost about $2.50 a quart. I bought the least expensive they had, because I did not need any additives. Having no knowledge of what strength to use, I used 8% for my plants. They did not die so that is the strength I have used ever since.

If you have a small garden you will need a hand squeeze sprayer. A little peroxide goes a long way. My lot is about 100 X 85 and I use a six-gallon sprayer. I have it mounted on a 2-wheel handcart. The peroxide comes in several strengths, so the strength you start out with is not that important as long as the final strength is 8%. Peroxide should be kept out of the sun.

When you plant the seedlings dig the hole and spray it with peroxide using your hand sprayer. Wet it good and then wet the roots of the seedlings or small plant.

I don’t use any commercial fertilizers. I have my own well so I have none of those chemicals the government uses in their water. When I prune the fruit trees, I put the trimmings in the chipper and add all the ashes from my wood burner and then till them into the garden in the fall. My garden is composting all year long. The grass clippings are used for the walkways between plants. I started out with clay, now the soil is black and soft.

Corn was the first plant that I used the peroxide on. I marked two rows off and every 12 inches made a hole about 2” or 3” deep. I put one kernel in each hole then poured about third cup of 8% peroxide in each hole and covered them up. In 5 to 6 days the sprouts came up. Fourteen days later I repeated the process without the peroxide. They came up in 12 to 14 days. Fourteen days later I repeated the first with the peroxide and they came up in 5 to 6 days. As the corn grew the corn with out the peroxide did not grow well as the ones with peroxide. I have noticed that the birds do not attack the ears of corn any more, and I assume it is because there are no worms in ears of corn. Birds can fly over the corn and know there are no worms in the corn. Do they have a sense that man does not have?

Acorn squash was next. They were planted with out peroxide. After 3 or 4 leaves formed the bugs made filigree of the leaves. One new leaf was untouched. I sprayed the plants with peroxide and as time went by the plants sprouted new leaves. They produced several squash. I sprayed the plants after every rain. I planted turnips with no peroxide and the bugs over took them. I wet them down with peroxide and that stopped the bugs.

I planted radishes and they grew bigger than golf balls, and had a mild and firm taste. I will be planting radishes and carrots this year. Last year the turnips grew to 6” to 8” in diameter and were mild when cooked.

The next year I decided to try soaking the seeds before I planted them. I soak them for three or four hours just before I planted them. The only seeds that did not survive the soaking were the navy beans. They just slipped out of their skins.

The potatoes have been interesting. The first year I planted potatoes I planted them without soaking them but sprayed them after they came up. I wet them down (not soaking) after they were 6 or 8 inches tall. Then about three weeks later I just sprayed a mist over them. They had some very small holes in them but they produced good potatoes. The next year I soaked them before planting and misted them when they came up. Last year I had several self-sow potatoes. I transplanted them but used no peroxide on them. I have had self-sow squash that came from plants that were peroxide grown and they were bug free without using peroxide.

In 2002 I used one ounce of 40% peroxide per gallon. Just about every thing that was green was sprayed and the results were a big surprise to my wife and me, We had no mosquitoes or any other flying bugs in our yard. There were a few ladybugs but they were few and far between. I don’t think the peroxide had any thing to do with the ladybugs directly. However, the lack of bugs for them to eat would be my guess why there were so few.

The vegetable that gave me a problem was the cabbage. I was determined to conquer the cabbageworm. Years ago I sprayed the cabbage plants with peroxide to no avail. This year I soaked the cabbage seeds before planting them. There were no signs of the bug until the cabbage plants were almost full grown, then I poured about a quarter of cup of 8% peroxide over the cabbage, letting it flow down into the layers of the leaves. That stopped the cabbage bugs.
This year I will use hydrogen peroxide more freely on every thing that is alive and green in my yard and garden. This year I will use hydrogen peroxide more freely on every thing that is alive and green in my yard and garden.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

NZ, Zanzibar, Pink, and Red Castor Beans

They are soaking in warm water tonight. I may soak them some more tomorrow and then plant them in h2o2, kelp, and superthrive enriched potting medium.

It will be exciting when they germinate. However, I have no idea when it will ever warm up enough to plant them!! We are only eight days from May now.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Inside plants and seedlings

I have a number of seedlings which are growing well. Peaches and Dreams hollyhocks are getting big. Lupines are leafing out a little. I should have 40+hybrid daylillies. I have over 30 already germinated. The evening primrose is germinating and the NE asters are growing well.

I should start seedlings for the seedling trade at the Old Country Store.

The new brugs are doing well - rehydrating.
The four upstairs are really taking off in the back bedroom window. Even the white is doing well. I need to get that one to Marsha Slopey.

I still have a good many bags outside under roofing left over (for darkness.) I don't know how they are going to do. I am currently not getting much germination. Maybe I will wait a day or so before checking them again.

Friday, March 27, 2009

News on the seedling front

This afternoon I got back from another dental trip to Richmond. I checked my seedlings soon after. I do have some that have germinated from coffee filters outside. Also, upstairs, there are several which are either coming along or are just beginning.

I am pleased that I do have 3 kinds of primulas germinating. Also, both upstairs and downstairs I have varieties of lupine growing nicely. NE asters seem to have germinated too.

So many others like several kinds of hollyhocks, Braveheart Malva, foxgoves, etc are coming along too.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

under light plantings

I planted 17 cups of perennials in less than an hour upstairs; I forgot how fast that can go. I planted 3 cups primulas, 2-3 cups of foxgloves, Yevonne's salvia, Ligularia Dark Beauty,
Verbascum Olympia,Hollyhocks Peaches & Dreams, Berginia New Hybrids, and others I cannot recall right now.
There are many more I would like to plant.

Also those seeds in coffee filters are germinating fast. I have lots of ruby chard, bright pink annual phlox, two color coreopsis,
Malva Braveheart, one daylily, and a couple of others in individual cups. When I come back on Wednesday, more should be germinated.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

more seeds

I found more delphiniums to put into the fridge in a little potting medium for two weeks. Also, I found a good many more seeds including digitalis Camelot mix. I think I saw Foxy somewhere too.

If there any seeds I have not looked at, I don't know where they are. I think I have been through them all.

Today is a steady drizzle. I think I will sleep on the couch for a while.

I am excited about this. My spirits are lifed already. I will have to check about every 3 days now.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

My delphiniums

Connecticut Yankees, Pacific Giants, Magic Fountains are in the fridge to come out on 3/25. I hope I run across Crosman's Bellamosum Delphiniums some where soon. I did find the packet!! I will put some upstairs and some in the fridge with the other delphs I found upstairs. 3:15 Sunday

I have a lot of other things to tackle tonight, especially the seeds from swallowtail. Dragon food is one, astilbe, etc.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

hybrid Daylily Seeds

I began soaking 8 cups of daylily crosses which I bought last fall. I hope a lot of them make it because the parents are gorgeous.

After reading more about the plastic bag & coffee filter approach, I took them out of the cups and did that and put them in the fridge.

Friday, October 10, 2008

all my seeds

I have seeds of almost every thing I want except delphiniums. I will order those in December when the seeds are fresh. I will grow some that will bloom next year as I will grow some lupine that will bloom next year too. Value seeds has sent me some wonderful seeds! I might want a couple more kinds of hollyhocks, but I have to check from last year's seeds too.

I want to grow Blue Satin, Vitex, and blue butterfly bush from seeds or cuttings.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

seed balls

dogpile search:
Tuesday, March 4
March 2008 - Seed Ball Project

Easter comes early this year, and I thought a nice gift to my gardener friends would be some wildflower seed balls. These little balls of clay, compost, and seed can be placed on the soil surface to germinate, not requiring planting into the ground. The clay helps deter pests from stealing the seed and retains moisture.

Commercial sources of these include "Seedballz" which sell for about $6 for a package of 8 at Amazon. These commercial varieties are a bit larger than what I'm about to show, but I found the smaller version is easier to make by hand.

My original plans came from Path To Freedom. I've modified their recipe slightly.

If you cannot find terracotta clay powder, you can use moist clay that has been air dried (not kiln fired!) and crushed. I found a cheese grater and mortar/pestle the best tools to dry and pulverize the clay in an efficient manner. Strain out any large chunks and crush again (a kitchen sieve works fine).

Using the directions from Path To Freedom: mix the seed and compost together, add the clay, mist water with a spray bottle while stirring to get it to clump together. Do not add too much water, it will be difficult to form balls with too much moisture in the mix. Pinch off a small portion of the mixture and roll into a ball. I find it easiest (and cleanest) to use plasticized gardening gloves for this step, keeping most of the clay off my hands. Let the seed balls dry for a couple days, protecting them from curious children and pets.

Plant about 1 seed ball per square foot.

For a spring garden gift, consider packaging a handful of seed balls in a small flowerpot, perhaps with a plant marker and twine bow. Include a card with instructions and descriptions of the seed varieties. I've chosen to make a shady blend and a sunny blend.

Be sure to check with your local university extension office for native plant species to use in your seed balls.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

pathtofreedom seed balls

Seed balls are a method for distributing seeds by encasing them in a mixture of clay and soil humus. Some native North American tribes used forms of seed balls. More recently natural farmer Masanobu Fukuoka has applied them, as have others inspired by his work.

Seed balls are simply scattered direct onto ground, and not planted. They could be useful for seeding dry, thin and compacted soils and for reclaiming derelict ground. This method takes a fraction of the time or cost of other methods to cover large areas and is also very applicable in small areas.

The clay and humus ball prevents the seeds from the drying out in the sun, getting eaten by predators like mice and birds, or from blowing away. When sufficient rain has permeated the clay and the seeds inside sprout they are protected within the ball that contains nutrients and beneficial soil microbes. Seed balls are particularly useful in dry and arid areas where rainfall is highly unpredictable. http://www.primalseeds.org

Note: Please be advised to check with your local nursery or agriculture agency to determine which beneficial, native plant species would best serve the habitat which you are trying to restore. Nonnative invader species that are proven voracious spreaders should never be used as a tool of ecological restoration.

Application rate
A minimum of ten seed balls per square meter, more if land is very derelict.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

I am thinking of making seed balls of natural wild flowers and putting them by the azaleas under the trees and in the ditch. Joe Pye Weed, Ironweed, black eyed Susans, cone flowers, daisies, perennial peas, etc. I picked up a lot of coneflower seeds today. My pink monarda is already germinating. It is not that tall though. I find this kind of sowing very exciting.

I may put tall hollyhock seeds in the seed balls too.
They would be beautiful growing among the other things. Tall sunflowers also have a place in the ditch

I think this may be best in conjunction with winter sowing or spring sowing.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Trying to give them away

I have taken a big pan of seedlings to Ruth at Harvest moon. I need to take white and lt. scarlet hollyhocks to Caroline at Ambrosia B&B, and I want to give some to Lisa Perry, Scott's wife. She seemed interested in the foxgloves. Of course, I have so much more to give her.

I hope I can locate several people to give them to.
Sherri will take some, I hope.

I still have all those I started inside this summer to put into pots too. Maybe I should start on that today.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

laundry room monarda short pink

Seeds I gathered at the health food store and put under lights are already germinating! This is very exciting. I should have a pot to winter over by the end of September or middle of October.

I think the monarda Raspberry that I bought may have a seed head on it too. When it dries out a little, I will harvest it and immediately plant it.

The yarrow Cloth of Gold is not germinating yet. I may have to put it outside for the winter.

I have been looking at tall and shorter golden rods, hoping i can get seeds from them too.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The laundry room seedlings.

The seedlings I planted on 6/30 and a little later are getting quite big. The recent Harvest Moon Planting of Yarrow (cloth of gold,) Nora Barlow black columbines, and black single hollyhocks are coming along just fine too.

From Buffalo Mt. Rock Church, the columbine is just beginning to germinate while the wild daisies are filling up a cup with little plants.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

tiger lilies

I planted a handful of Ted's tiger lily seeds in a big pot tonight. I was shocked to see that many had just germinated in the paper bag. I will fill another big pot with soil and plant what is left tomorrow.

Tomorrow, I want to transplant astilbe, anemone, primulas, foxgloves, and some of the rarer kinds of seedlings I still have in cups. I hope I can get an early start and do about 15 containers. That would make me feel really good.

I was looking at http://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com tonight and found several seeds to order for next year. A bright astilbe mix, a bright kniphonia mix,
one or two kinds of hollyhocks, an anemone mix, some primula mixes and other things that I will add later.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

foxglove and salvia fareincina(sp)

This morning I planted out my few Camelot and lots of Excelsior. I will put the huge remaining number of excelsior under lights again, maybe splitting the cup up.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Planting out the cabbage bouquet rose inside

I may plant a lot of the seedlings in 8 oz or 16 oz cups tonight. I have the soil, seedlings, and cups. The sooner they get into independent containers the faster they will grow.

I should really do that with some of the hollyhocks too.
For that, I need to get cut down boxes to hold them together.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Ornamental Cabbage Rose Bouquet

It is amazing how fast they germinate: the first morning after planting! They should be large enough to transplant near the beginning of August. Now to find some pretty pansies.

I am excited at how fast my own white columbine have germinated. I will have lots and lots.

Also Excelsior and Camelot are doing well, but Camelot only has about 10 seedlings. I hope more will decide to germinate too.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Found columbine seeds from stone church

I have planted the seeds of 20" columbines from the stone church. My Ornamental Cabbages are moving fast. My own white columbine are taking off too.

I may send Marie columbine and daisy seeds once she reads the book.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

transplanted most of the hollyhocks

This morning I transplanted the hollyhocks from the 8oz cups. I couldn't fit all of them in one gallon containers. Off hand, I planted double violet, hot pink, maroon, white, rosy pink, Peach Cottage Mix, Light Scarlet,
, , .
and I still have Charters Bright Yellow to transplant, I believe.

The chamois is not ready. I put Starburst in a cup; more planting to come today. Braveheart needs to go into a gallon pot too. The two foxgloves : excelsior and camelot, are coming along well, but it will be a while before I can transplant them.

I am pollinating the few daylilies left and the beautiful orientipet lilies. I should have a ton of orientipet seeds to plant and to trade.

Friday, July 18, 2008

the Shasta daisies

Today, I planted T&M's Starburst in the laundry room.
Also I put Alaska, Swallowtail Exhibition, Margarite Grande, Crazy Daisy, and Northern lights in marked gallon community pots. I will ultimately have over ten kinds: I have May Queen, Large, tall Shasta, semi double shasta and maybe another already growing in community pots. In addition, I collected small, late-blooming wild shastas yesterday which I will pot up in a cup tonight. Buffalo Mt. Shastas!

T&M sent my Rose Bouquet Ornamental Cabbage too. I will pot that up tonight too. I feel very good about these things.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Swallowtailgardenseeds.com

My order came today; ornamental rhubarb, The Governor Lupine (blue & white,) the double shasta, and Chamois hollyhock (very, very pretty!) I can start the shastas and hollyhocks right away. Maybe the lupine too. The rhubarb will have to wait.

Monday, July 7, 2008

NOW they decide to germinate!!

I had two pots which were definitely not germinating so I simply sprinkled my fresh white columbine seeds on top of them yesterday only to find today that the Foxgloves Gloxinflora and Apricot are germinating. I will deal with the little seedling battles later somehow.

Also, on today I planted the Swallowtail Shasta Exhibition and the chamois hollyhocks. I hope both germinate quickly.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Campanulas

In my love of tall plants and the color blue, I have collected a considerable number of campanulas.
Pyramidalis, Americana, Glomerata, Lactifolia, takesiman, Canterbury Bells, and traechelium. Also,
I think I may have seedlings of persicifolia and latifolia, but I can't find them right now. Three reach five feet, and one reaches six feet max.

I do have persicifolia! Now it's just latifolia missing. Persicifolia is 2.5" tall. Latifolia is 3-5' tall.

This means I have lots of tall blue plants for background. The others are not short: 20-28".

Then I also have adenophora ladybells from Richmond and from seeds this year too. It is not really a campanula though.

If I can't find persicifolia and latifolia, I will try again next year if I think I still need them.

We had ANOTHER afternoon shower. This may be the last for a long, long while.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Shasta Daisies

I am germinating several Shastas at one time in the laundry room. Alaska, Northern Lights, Crazy Daisy,
Burpees Margarita Grande. Now I have two more packets of seeds coming: Exhibition Double (Swallowtail) and Starburst semi Double (Value Seeds) Outside I have White Knight, Alaska, May Queen, Grandpapa's special, and Crazy Daisy also. That totals 8 kinds of Shastas. What seeds I will be able to harvest!!

Friday, July 4, 2008

Clearing out dud containers & germination inside

I must have collected at least 20 containers so far this morning which have no seedlings in them. Maybe they did at one time, and I didn't get to them fast enough.
Be that as it may, they are out now.

Inside, I am having great germination: Brave Heart,
all kinds of hollyhocks, Salvia friesian ?, a couple of single shastas (microscopic,) and that's about it so far. I am anxiously awaiting my order from swallowtail.
They are sending that exhibition Shasta which has 500 seeds.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

New cups germinating

I have about 20 new cups under lights in the laundry. They are mostly hollyhocks, but I did plant Excelsior and Northern Lights Shasta too as well as Brave Heart (which is already germinating.) They are germinating very quickly.

I have a couple more things to add: Morello Cherry Lupine for one.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

June 19 pots & stuff

Today is the day David leaves and returns Sunday (4 days) to go to bluegrass jams and festivals. I made him a huge batch of oatmeal/raisin cookies and boiled eggs.

IN THE GARDEN

I am so excited! Nick at Griffith's Greenhouse Supplies is sending me 300 pots to pot up my seedlings to grow on. I have been trying to decide what to pot up first! This will keep me busy when I am not out rambling around while David is gone.

I am happy to say (again) that I will have plenty of Canterbury Bells next year and Red Sweet William; my Excelsior has not germinated yet, but I have a lot of Oriental poppies germinating right now.

I still have several seeds to start from T&M's sale, including kniphopia species and Lupins: Morello,
Tutti Fruitti, and Gallery. I should do that very soon!

Of the plants I put out by the driveway at the pond, only Shasta daisies and hollyhocks have survived. I will wait til later to plant the delphiniums and lupines too. Maybe eventually we will get rain.

I will have to plant out Foxy today. Also, it is important to plant out lots of primrose.

Monday, June 16, 2008

The seedlings, whatever to do with them?

I cannot believe that I am still ordering seeds! I ordered from T&M's sale (around June 10th) three kinds of lupine, 2 more kinds of primula, Candy Mountain foxgloves, and apple blossom hollyhocks.

I have probably about 70 surviving J. iris seedlings, 20 or so hostas, many, many kinds of hollyhocks, lavender true and Munstead, tall grasses, so many campanulas and adenophora, delphiniums, rudbeckia
autumn colors and Cherokee, Shastas: Alaska, White Knight and the fluffy one Crazy Daisy. All kinds of poppies including Blue Sky poppy. Plenty of dianthus, including red Sweet William for next year,